Carpet

The heavily patterned carpets from the past have certainly lost popularity in today’s average Australian home.

Plain cut-piles, sisals and finely patterned geometrics are very much on-trend, with neutral to dark shades, even dark greys and charcoals taking most of the market.

Limited ranges of cut and loop piles and Berbers are still available and traditional woven types like Axminster can be found. While vinyl flooring has evolved extensively over the last two decades, there have been only been minor changes in yarns and carpet production systems.

Yarn type affects price, appearance, touch, cleanability, durability, appearance retention and ultimately lifespan. They all have advantages and disadvantages.

Most buyers chose on price, appearance and touch but cleanability and appearance retention are probably the most important factors to be considered.

Talk to an experienced salesperson and do plenty of research on wool, nylons, polypropylene and polyester carpets. Know that price alone does not determine longevity.

Simple! One where the yarn structure and position change the least under traffic. Ultimately, loop-pile yarn does not change as both ends are held in place.

High loops that are not packed tight may still flatten, so tight and dense loop (think commercial) will look the same longest. But who wants that hard feel? Twist or plush “cut piles” are much more popular but they can flatten and start matting quickly if quality is ignored.

Flattening is due to both the pile being too sparse and/or the pile de-twisting and tangling with neighbouring yarn. Pile with a tight set twist will not untwist and will maintain the ability to bounce back unhindered by the adjacent pile.

Generally, nylons and wools retain their twist better than the others.

Residential carpets can be laid by direct stick or conventionally with a cushion underlay and with spiked gripper strips (aka smoothedge). Gluing down carpet gives a firm flat finish that never lifts or bubbles.

It is harder underfoot, especially if a thinner pile is used. Advantages are that heavy furniture will not “dent” the carpet backing, smoothedge spikes will not come through a thin piled carpet, and kids can push or ride wheeled toys more easily.

Laying with underlay gives a softer, luxurious feel and is easily replaced or pulled back for drying out.

The smoothedge gripping strips are nailed with a 6 – 10mm gap along all walls.

Underlay is finished up to the back of the spiked smoothedge and the carpet is stretched across and the trimmed edge is tucked tightly between the wall and the smoothedge.

Adjacent floors with a raised lip are treated similarly and lower joining floors will require a trim of some sort.

Due to the forgiving flexibility of carpet, fairly poor and uneven floors can be laid over. Australian Standards for floor levelness are actually quite stringent but are rarely applied to domestic installs.

Hollows and high points may affect the way that furniture sits, and undulating subfloors may give a wavy appearance along the skirting. Always ensure your site inspection includes discussions about the floor’s flatness.

Almost every type of domestic subfloor can have carpet laid over it. Smoothedge is nailed along the walls, so a firm flat surface is required here. If the surface does not allow nailing into, smoothedge can be glued to the subfloor.

Integra Direct can also guide DIYers with all the information and products to give their projects a professional finish.

Comfort and sound-absorption are the primary reason carpet remains popular in Australia. To demonstrate sound-absorption, compare having a discussion in a restaurant with thick carpet to one with a hard, resilient floor.

And which kid does not like lounging around or playing on a nice carpet? Step out bed on a winter morning and you will appreciate that warm and comfortable feel under your bare feet.

Cleaning is easy with a vacuum cleaner and the up-front cost can be lower than the alternatives.

Cleanability and showing wear has pushed carpet down the popularity list for living, eating and high traffic areas.

Family and pets tend to cause soiling and spot cleaning is trickier than wiping a smooth surface.

Steam or dry cleaning regularly will help, but this adds to the ongoing costs as well as adding chemicals into the environment. Many deep stains often return after a short time and pile recovery is never guaranteed.

Foot traffic and a feature known as “water-marking” will cause uneven patches and tracks in most cut-pile carpets, and heavy furniture can leave permanent dents in your flooring.

Anywhere except wet areas. Consider the highest concentration of foot traffic in any one area when deciding on the quality and consider the cleanability when dining and living areas are being included.

The ACCS rating is a great guide to the suitability and life expectancy, as well as the manufacturer’s warranties. Obviously, you should not expect high performance on the stairs of a family home if you have bought the cheapest polyester carpet.

Mostly, your flooring will be replaced due to staining, wear patterns or just for a change. Areas exposed to direct or reflected sunlight during the middle of the day may eventually exhibit colour loss or change, so the use of window coverings or awnings will help with this.

Entry mats, regular vacuuming and annual steam-cleaning will also extend the life-expectancy.

Always keep offcuts from the initial install in case repairs are needed. Carpet laid on underlay may be patched by a professional installer. Even badly stained areas are often patched.

Avoid damage from office chairs by using a plastic “Keyhole” mate for protection.